1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing method, and more particularly relates to a method for editing content sent from a server in response to a request from a client according to the intentions of an administrator.
2. Description of the Related Art
At the time of applying for the present invention, there is provided, as in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication Hei. 10-124461, collaboration technology where cooperative work (reading, moving, and changing) of an HTML page can be carried out simultaneously by a number of users. FIG. 8 shows an example of this HTML page cooperative work applied to an internet banking system. A bank agent, an internet customer consultation center agent, etc., can then refer to and operate the same page as the customer by employing this technology.
However, there are also cases where, for example, an automatic help service is supplied according to context only on a customer side, information is displayed for an agent according to the circumstances, or it is wished to display specific information only on one side during collaboration.
Further, the present invention is by no means limited to collaboration. For example, effectiveness of advertising and effectiveness of teaching can be improved by providing information to a user having predetermined preferences in line with those preferences.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an information terminal support system capable of providing information to a user effectively in accordance with user preferences. Another object of the present invention is to provide a collaboration system where information corresponding to net surfing conditions of one user can be supplied to another user.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a system where an administrator can intentionally change the contents of content requested by a client. Another object of the present invention is to provide a low-cost collaboration system where resources required while supporting an information terminal are reduced.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a collaboration system where centralized control is possible during information terminal support. Another object of the present invention is to provide a collaboration system that is not dependent on the software platform of the information terminal operated.
Another further object of the present invention is to provide a collaboration c control system capable of controlling the contents of a service provided to an information terminal without changing a server responding to a request from the information terminal.
An HTTP request is sent from a customer""s web browser to a web server via an information terminal support server. The web server then sends an HTTP message responding to this request to the customer""s web browser via the information terminal support server. At this time, the web server refers to information such as past reference history information and customer purchasing records and embeds a command for displaying predetermined information in the HTTP message for either the customer browser or the browser of an agent collaborating with the customer when the HTTP message corresponds with a predetermined condition.
One aspect of the present invention provides an information processing method in an a information processing system having a collaboration server which supports collaboration of a browser loaded on a customer information terminal and a browser loaded on an agent information terminal. The method comprises the steps of receiving, at the collaboration server, an HTTP message sent in response to a customer browser request, and updating reference history information; determining whether or not the reference history information agrees with a predetermined condition; inserting a program for outputting predetermined information in the HTTP message when the reference history information agrees with the predetermined condition; and sending the HTTP message with the program inserted to the customer browser or the agent browser.
In the scope of the patent claims of the specification for this application, xe2x80x9cbrowserxe2x80x9d is a concept including software such as web browsers, etc., capable of browsing information held at a place that can be accessed by an information terminal or an information processing terminal, such as a personal computer. Further, xe2x80x9cHTTP message sent in response to a customer browser requestxe2x80x9d is a concept including both HTTP messages sent from the customer information terminal and HTTP messages sent from other servers in response to these HTTP messages.
Another aspect of the present invention provides an information processing method in an information processing system having an information terminal support server which manages user attribute information corresponding to user specification information and supports collaboration between first and second information terminals loaded with browsers and connected to a content server. The method comprises the steps of receiving, at the information terminal support server, a message sent from the content server in response to a request from the first information terminal; extracting user specification information from the request or the message; judging whether or not user attribute information corresponding to the extracted user specification information meets a predetermined condition; if so, inserting a program for displaying predetermined content data into the message; and sending a message in which the program is inserted to the information terminal.
In the scope of the patent claims in the specification of this application, xe2x80x9cuser attribute informationxe2x80x9d is a concept including all information relating to a user, such as a customer""s address, age, sex, birthday, purchase record information, purchasing characteristics information and access record information, etc. Further, xe2x80x9cuser specification informationxe2x80x9d is information capable of specifying a predetermined user or a group of users, such as a (user access identification), cookie, customer ID or section ID, etc.
Yet another aspect of the present invention provides an information processing method in an information processing system having an information terminal support server which manages user attribute information corresponding to user specification information and supports an information terminal connected to a content server and loaded with a client program. The method comprises the steps of receiving, at the information terminal support server, a message sent from the content server responding to a request from the information terminal; extracting user specification information from the request or the message; judging whether or not user attribute information corresponding to the extracted user specification information meets a predetermined condition; inserting a program for outputting predetermined data into the message when the extracted user specification information meets the predetermined condition; and sending a message in which the program is inserted to the information terminal.
According to another aspect of the invention, an information terminal support server is provided which manages user attribute information corresponding to user specification information and supports collaboration between first and second information terminals loaded with browsers and connected to a content server. The information terminal support server comprises a message checker for determining whether or not user specification information extracted from a message sent from a content server in response to a request from the first information terminal meets a predetermined condition; and inserting a program for outputting predetermined data into the message when the predetermined condition is met.
Another aspect of the invention, provides computer readable code for use in an information processing system having a collaboration server which supports collaboration of a browser loaded on a customer information terminal and a browser loaded on an agent information terminal, the code comprising first code means for instructing the information terminal support server to receive an HTTP message sent in response to a customer browser request and update reference history information; second code means for instructing the information terminal support server to determine whether or not the reference history information agrees with a predetermined condition; third code means for instructing the information terminal support server to insert a program for outputting predetermined information in the HTTP message when the reference history information agrees with the predetermined condition; and fourth code means for instructing the information terminal support server to send the HTTP message with the program inserted to the customer browser or the agent browser.
Still another aspect of the present invention provides a recording medium storing an information processing program employed in an information processing system having an information terminal support server which manages user attribute information corresponding to user specification information and supports collaboration between first and second information terminals loaded with browsers and connected to a content server, the program comprising program code instructing the information terminal support server to receive, at the information terminal support server, a message sent from the content server in response to a request from the first information terminal; program code instructing the information terminal support server to extract user specification information from the request or the message; program code instructing the information terminal support server to determine whether or not user attribute information corresponding to the extracted user specification information meets a predetermined condition; program code instructing the information terminal support server to insert a program for displaying predetermined content data into the message; and program code instructing the information terminal support server to send a message in which the program is inserted to the second information terminal.
The present invention also provides a recording medium storing an information processing program employed in an information processing system having an information terminal support server which manages user attribute information corresponding to user specification information and supports an information terminal connected to a content server and loaded with a client program, the program comprising program code instructing the information terminal support server to receive, at the information terminal support server, a message sent from the content server in response to a request from the information terminal; program code instructing the information terminal support server to extract user specification information from the request or the message; program code instructing the information terminal support server to determine whether or not user attribute information corresponding to the extracted user specification information meets a predetermined condition; program code instructing the information terminal support server to insert a program for displaying predetermined content data into the message; and program code instructing the information terminal support server to send the message containing the inserted program to the information terminal.